PSU^Sporte
(Me
By MATTHEW SARVER
Sports Reporter
MDSSOII@PSU.EDU
So last night, 1 get asked by our
wonderful editor to do an opinion
article on Penn State Football. Of
course 1 accepted this offer because
I may not get another chance
to express how I feel about the
upcoming Nittany Lions season.
After the ending of last season, by
beating a decent Tennessee team in
the Outback Bowl 1 really felt it was
a coming out party for the young
Lions. Anthony Morelli finally
shut up the critics and proved he
could manage the offense and lead
the Nittany Lions in the upcoming
season. Meanwhile, Tony Hunt and
Paul Posluszny had dominating final
games in the Outback Bowl and
Senior Bowl for the Lions as they
both prepare themselves for the NFL
Draft this coming April.
Now everyone is probably
wondering how the Nittany Lions
Defense is going to do without
#3l to lead the way. Well, safety
Anthony Scirrotto and linebackers
Shaun Lee and Dan Conner will
take over the leadership roles and
lead the Nittany Lions into the
upcoming 2007 season. Returning
all but two starters on defense will
make the Nittany Lions a very tough
team to run or throw on this year.
Offensively, Anthony Morelli
is rejuvenated after his outburst
on the media prior to the Outback
Bowl. He came out and showed
not only the Penn State coaching
staff, but the entire nation that he
is a true quarterback and deserves
the starting roll. Losing Tony Hunt
will be a tough loss but after red
shirting Austin Scott for the year, he
will be ready ftfstep up as the lead
ball carrier for the Blue and White.
Of course who can forget about
our amazing wide receivers, Deon
Butler (coming off one of the best
seasons for a w ide receiver in school
history), Derrick Williams, Jordan
Norwood, and Terrell Golden will
be looking for the ball and ready
to lead the high flying Penn State
offense
The biggest problem for Penn
State in 2006 was winning the big
games. Losses to Notre Dame, Ohio
State, Michigan, and Wisconsin,
which the Nittany Lions will face
all four of them again this year,
has to be in the back of every one's
minds. Three of those four losses
came away from Beaver Stadium,
however the tables are turned this
year for Penn State.
Ohio State, Notre Dame, and
Wisconsin are all home games this
year for the Blue and White so I
know the crouds are going to be
rocking. Unfortunately they hav e to
travel to Michigan on September 22
(their opening game in the Big Ten)
and hopefully Lloyd Carr doesn’t
whine about having one second put
back on the clock. If Penn State can
go into Michigan and come out of
there with a victory, it is going to
be a glorious season for our Nittany
Lions. Beating Notre Dame and
Ohio State shouldn't be too much
of a problem, due to the talent loss
both of those teams will suffer.
Penn State is also reintroduced to
lowa and Indiana and doesn’t have
to worry about Northwestern or
Minnesota, even though I don’t
believe those teams are that great.
After taking careful consideration
of the season schedule and the
returning starters, Penn State could
be looking ahead to a date with
destiny. If they do manage to get
a loss this season, hope its early
so they can fight their way back
through the standings. Could it be
possible that Penn State has another
one loss season, meaning two of the
last three seasons, only suffering
one loss? Could they do the
unthinkable and go undefeated and
play for a National Championship?
Only time will tell. So get ready;
buy your season tickets early my
fellow classmates. This year could
be a year that we will never forget.
WE ARE PENN STATE!!!
Colts
By BARRY WILNE
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) - Wet and wild and
the perfect winning conditions for
Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis
Colts in the Super Bowl.
A team built for indoors found its
footing on a rain-soaked track and
outplayed the Chicago Bears to win
the NFL title 29-17 Sunday night.
The Colts were far less sloppy,
particularly their star quarterback,
who proved he can indeed win the
big game the biggest game.
That’s what it was for Tony Dungy,
too. He became the first black coach
to win the championship, beating
good friend and protege Lovie Smith
in a game that featured the first two
black coaches in the Super Bowl.
“It’s hard to put into words,” said
Manning, the game’s MVP after
hitting 25 of 38 passes for 247
yards with one touchdown and one
interception. “I’m proud to be part of
this team. We stuck together, won this
game for our leader, Tony Dungy.”
It was a game of firsts: the first
rainy Super Bowl and the first time
an opening kickoff was run back for
a touchdown when sensational Bears
rookie Devin Hester sped downfield
for 92 yards.
And not since the Buffalo Bills
self-destructed with nine turnovers
in losing to Dallas 14 years ago
had there been so much messiness.
The first half was marred by six
turnovers, three for each team. Even
football’s most clutch kicker, Adam
Vinatieri, missed a chip-shot field
goal, and an extra point attempt was
botched, too.
The second half wasn’t quite so
ugly, but when much-maligned
Bears quarterback Rex Grossman’s
wobbler was picked off and returned
56 yards for a touchdown by Kelvin
Hayden with 11:44 remaining, it
was over.
“I’m so proud of our guys,” Dungy
said. “We took the hit early with
Devin Hester. We talked about it; it’s
going to be a storm. Sometimes you
have to work for it. Our guys played
PSH bball gets
ready to rumble
in Harrisburg
By MEGAN RESSER
S ports Reporter
MKRIS7@PSU.EDU
On Saturday, January 20 the Penn
State Harrisburg men’s basketball
team began the Spring semester
portion of their season when they
hosted the Lions from Penn State
McKeesport. Heading into the game,
the men’s team was coming off of
a month-long winter break hiatus,
following some disappointing games
in the first half of their season. It is
needless to say that PSH players,
coaches, and fans alike were hoping
that the team would see some better
results with the start of a new year.
With an outstanding 43-point
performance by junior Abe Hitz;
good rebounding; the addition of
some new energy and skilled ball
handling on the court in the form of
new sophomore player Jason Grimes;
and great teamwork in general the
PSH Lions were able to play their
way to an exciting 75-68 victory.
McKeesport took an early lead
which they maintained throughout
much of the first half. It wasn’t until
close to halftime that the PSH Lions
took the lead and never looked back.
At the half, the score was PSH 33,
McKeesport 30. Within the first
minute of the second half, junior Steve
Molek was fouled while shooting
a three-pointer, made the shot, and
made the free throw to bring the score
to PSH 37, McKeesport 30. Molek
continued to play well, finishing the
game with a solid 10 points. Senior
take the Bears 29
so hard and I can’t tell you how proud
I am of our group, our organization
and our city.”
Chicago (15-4), which led the league
in takeaways this season, finished
with five turnovers, including two
interceptions by Grossman.
The Colts (16-4) will take it. It’s
their first title since the 1970 season,
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kelvin Hayden(26) intercepts a pass in front of Chicago Bears
wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad(B7) during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLI in Miami.
when they played in Baltimore.
It was confirmation of Manning’s
brilliance, even if he didn’t need to
be dynamic. The son of a quarterback
who never got to the playoffs,
Manning has been a star throughout
his college career at Tennessee and
his nine pro seasons with the Colts.
Now he is a champion.
It also was a validation of Dungy’s
leadership. He helped build Tampa
Bay, one of the NFL’s worst
franchises, into a contender before
being fired after the 2001 season.
The next year, the Bucs won the
Nealy Rawlings chipped in 7 points
of his own in addition to grabbing
numerous offensive and defensive
rebounds
As of press time, the men’s and
women’s basketball teams had just
traveled to Penn State York for
a double-header on Wednesday,
January 24. Both teams returned
home as victors, the men with a score
of 74-51 and the women with a score
of 83-38. These wins bring the men’s
overall record to 3-12, their PSUAC
record to 3-5, the women’s overall
record to 7-6 and their PSUAC
record to 4-1.
By the time this issue comes to print,
the men’s team will have traveled to
away games at Penn State Eayette
on January 26, Penn State Beaver
on January 27 and an away double
header at Penn State Delaware
County on February 3, with a home
double-header versus Penn State Mt.
Alto on February 1 in-between. The
women’s team will have participated
only in the above-mentioned double
headers.
Both teams return to home play
with a double-header the evening of
Monday, February 5. The women’s
game begins at 6 p.m., with the
men following around 8 p.m. The
last regular-season home games
for the teams will be on Thursday
evening, February 15 versus Penn
State Delaware County. The women
will start at 6 p.m. and the men will
follow around 8 p.m. Please come
out and support your PSH Lions as
they finish up their seasons!
Super Bowl under Jon Gruden.
The Colts hoisted their coach on
their shoulders and he switched his
blue Colts cap for a white one that
read “NFL champions.” Dungy
was carried from the sideline, then
was lowered so he could share a
long embrace and a handshake
with Smith.
“I’m proud to be representing the
African-American coaches and the
first African-American coach to win
this,” Dungy said.
Then he waded through the mob to
find his quarterback, giving him a
big hug.
The Colts reached the pinnacle
by winning four postseason games
with a defense that made a complete
turnaround in the playoffs.
And with a running game that
perfectly complemented Manning,
thanks to Joseph Addai and Dominic
Rhodes, who combined for 190 yards
Better deal
By EDDIE PELLS
The Associated Press
They limp through life, often
too proud to ask for handouts
but desperately in need of help.
They are the aging NFL retirees
and, as a rule, the older they are, the
less they receive from the league’s
pension and disability funds.
“An embarrassment,” is what famed
former player and coach Mike Ditka
called it.
“Twenty percent of nothing is
nothing,” former Bills offensive
lineman Joe DeLamielleure said.
Ditka, DeLamielleure and another
Hall of Famer, Lem Barney,
joined one-time Packers star Jerry
Kramer on Thursday to promote
Kramer’s endeavor to auction
championship rings and
other valuable memorabilia
to raise money for their
fellow retirees.
Ditka described the situation as
“shameful,” saying he received a
$lOO,OOO donation from an owner
of a sport other than football.
When he sent letters to the 32
NFL owners asking for the same
donation some time ago, he said he
received one check for $5,000 and
another for $ 10,000.
He said he sent those checks back.
“It’s a problem that should have
been remedied and it’s going to
get remedied,” Ditka said. “If they
don’t, a lot of people are going to
be embarrassed.”
Ditka brought up a number of
players, John Mackey, the late
Ernie Stautner, Doug Atkins
and others less famous, who are
aging and hurting. Perhaps the worst
case was the late Mike Webster, the
Hall of Fame Steelers center who
suffered from mental illness that was
widely attributed to head injuries.
113 on 21 carries by Rhodes and 77
on 10 carries by Addai, who also had
66 yards receiving.
Chicago was denied its first Super
Bowl title since the powerhouse
1985 team. These Bears could have
used Da Coach, Sweetness and
their buddies.
It rained from start to finish; there
was even “Purple
Rain” during
halftime when
Prince sang some
of his signature
songs. And though
Vinatieri twice
was a victim of
the slop, he kicked
three field goals.
spectacular return
provided a stunning
beginning _ and a
severe jolt to the
Colts. The local
product and only
rookie All-Pro this
season pumped
his arms to excite
the crowd before
the kickoff, then
lifted the fans from
their seats with an
electrifying run
on which he never
was touched.
He barely touched
the ball again
as Indy went to
squibbing kickoffs.
Leading 16-14
at halftime, the Colts spent half
the third quarter with a march to
Vinatieri’s 24-yard field goal. Twice
on the drive, Manning fell to the
ground while throwing. But he
completed them.
Grossman had it even worse on
Chicago’s initial possession of the
second half, twice in a row slipping
and getting sacked. Maybe he would
have done better on icy turf.
Thomas Jones, forced to carry the
Bears’ entire rushing load when
Cedric Benson was hurt in the first
half, was Chicago’s best player.
urged for NFL retirees
He died homeless in 2002.
“I can’t tell you today if Mike
Webster would’ve been alive today,”
Ditka said. “I don’t know. But I do
know he wouldn’t have been a damn
street person. I know his family
wouldn’t have had to sue to get his
benefits. It’s not right. It’s just not.”
While Ditka wouldn’t say precisely
who’s to blame, DeLamielleure
wasn’t shy about it. He blamed former
commissioner Paul Tagliabue and
players’ union head Gene Upshaw
for the growing discrepancy in the
amount of money recent retirees and
old-timers get in pension and
health care.
“They have been in power for 20
years and have done nothing about
it,” said DeLamielleure, the former
Bills lineman who is auctioning off
a gold bracelet he received from
O.J. Simpson.
But Upshaw, speaking later at a
separate news conference, said: “For
anyone to say that the NFLPA does
not care about retired players is not
responsible. They don’t know the
record, they don’t know the body of
work.”
The league says $126 million a
year goes into pension and post
career disability benefits for retired
players and their families. The
accounts pay out $6O million a year
to those players, $2O million of it for
disability payments.
In the most recent collective
bargaining agreement, payments
from the pension fund were raised
by 25 percent for players who retired
before 1982 and 10 percent for those
who retired after 1982.
But retired football players
often have difficulty getting health
insurance because of injuries suffered
on the field, and the old-timers have
long endured a health-care gap.
More work will be done, Upshaw
But with Grossman ineffective,
even inept, ail the Bears managed
in the second half was Robbie
Gould’s 44-yard field goal late in the
third period.
After Hester’s opening dagger,
Manning tried to force a pass to
Marvin Harrison in double coverage
and was picked off by Chris Harris
to spoil Indy’s first possession,
but the Colts struck back on
their next series, converting three
third-downs. The final one was
the most important as Manning
got everything on a long pass
to the uncovered Reggie Wayne
even though Tank Johnson had his
hands on the quarterback. Wayne
trotted into the end zone for a
47-yard score.
Hester’s
Then the rain ruined three
straight plays.
Holder Hunter Smith dropped the
snap on the extra point and Vinatieri
couldn’t get off a kick. Then Vinatieri,
well aware of who was lurking deep,
squibbed the kickoff to tight end
Gabe Reid, who fumbled at his 35,
with Tyjuan Hagler recovering for
the Colts.
But Manning and Addai botched
the handoff on the next snap and
Chicago’s Mark Anderson recovered,
the third turnover in the first 8
1/2 minutes.
Couldn’t anybody play this game?
Jones certainly could. He used a
sharp cutback to break a 52-yard
run, the longest of his career, to the
Colts’ 5, and Grossman found
Muhammad in the front of the end
zone for a 14-6 lead.
Jones finished with 100
yards rushing.
A fourth giveaway in the opening
quarter, by Benson on his first carry
before injuring his knee, didn’t
damage Chicago.
Vinatieri, who made two Super
Bowl-winning kicks for New
England, nailed a 29-yard field
goal early in the second period but
was wide left from 32 yards at the
end of the half.
Vinatieri still set a record with 49
postseason points.
promised, though he conceded many
retirees will probably never be
completely happy.
“It’s impossible, economics-wise,”
he said.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello
declined comment, saying
commissioner Roger Goodell would
address the subject Friday at his
news conference.
Upshaw pointed out, however, that
it’s a reality of corporate America
that those who work in later eras and
make more money do better on their
post-retirement plans than those who
came before them.
Some see the NFL as a special
exception. Those who played in
the ‘sos, ‘6os and ‘7os laid the
groundwork for the popularity of the
league. They did it without the same
level of medical care.
Yet today they hurt every bit as m uch,
often more, as the players who retired
much later.
Upshaw acknowledged Ditka’s
complaint, and said that too much
red tape exists. Union president
Troy Vincent said he wished retired
players would talk about other
issues, too.
“Every conversation with retired
players is strictly about economics,”
he said. “You get tired of talking
about it. Let’s develop a relationship
first. You’re a Hall of Famer. What
can I do to improve my game? It’s
not just all about economics.”
To many, it is.
An idea hit Kramer when he
saw the Super Bowl ring he lost
in an airplane 25 years ago being
auctioned online.
He tracked down the seller, yelled
at him a while, and when things
calmed down, they agreed to this:
There would be an auction, but
the proceeds would go to retirees
in need.